After Midnight First Preview

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 10:41pm

After Midnight is 90 minutes of pure, unadulterated joy. It is without a doubt the best (Broadway) musical so far this season, containing the best choreography and the strongest cohesive group of performances. There isn't a hint of "weak link" with this production from the cast to the creative team to the orchestra and arrangements. The lighting, the costumes, the sound design: it's all perfect. There is nothing to be done during the preview period, so with all the time they will have on their hands Warren Carlyle should stage a second and third encore, because it's so tragic when the evening ends.

I don't know where to start, but Fantasia is a good enough place as any. She is so good and in such terrific voice- I was amazed. She gets four big numbers: I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Stormy Weather, Zaz Zuh Zaz and On the Sunny Side of the Street.

I Can't Give You Anything But Love is breezy, jazzy and she gets to show off some of her scatting ability. (I guess I've listened to Ain't Misbehavin' too many times because I'm always disappointed when I don't hear, "If Woolworth sold diamond bracelets you'd have a million of 'em, baby." ha) She handles Stormy Weather with ease and hits a few big notes. I wasn't familiar with Zaz Zuh Zaz, but it's a real crowd pleaser, and then what she did with Sunny Side of the Street. No one tops Eileen Farrell's version, but boy oh boy did she come close.

Next: Adriane Lenox. Someone must have told Lenox that a pair of Tonys look better on the shelf than a solitary award because she turned it on tonight like some four alarm fire. Her first song, Women Be Wise, is a masterclass in selling a comedy number. I love her so much it's ridiculous. Why are people not writing musicals for this woman?!

Then this crazy, insane out of her mind tapper/singer (Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards) does this nutso routine with two other guys called Raisin' the Rent. I was so enthralled and think she's a certifiable lunatic to dance like that.

I could just go on and on and on about every performer, but do yourself a favor and go experience them yourself.

Warren Carlyle is completely in his element choreographing and directing this show. Every act is gorgeously tailored to show of the strengths of the performers and some of his ideas are pretty clever. For example, Dule Hill smiles at a girl and she brings him a helium filled red balloon on a string. He breaks into "I've Got the World On a String" and dances a soft shoe with the balloon. Then the ensemble comes on in pairs with their own balloons finish the number.

The orchestra is the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars and they sound great. They're on stage in a band stand that moves downstage when they have a solo moment.

I really wasn't even looking forward to this, but After Midnight surprised me and knocked my socks off.

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 10:53pm

Is this the same show as the City Center Encores show called "Cotton Club Parade" ? Did they make any changes? I wonder why they changed the name. It was superb off-Broadway so I'm glad to hear it's just as great on Broadway.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:00pm

^It is what was "Cotton Club Parade," but I haven't seen either incarnation so I don't know how many changes were made between off-Broadway and Broadway.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:05pm

I unfortunately didn't see it at City Center, but I believe a decent amount of the cast is new, so I wouldn't be surprised if there is some new material. Each song was arranged and staged so specifically to show off each performer.

[dshnookie]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:17pm

Whizzer, thanks for your great review. I'm seeing it tomorrow afternoon more so for a friend who's coming in to visit than my own personal interest, but I'm sold - especially to hear that Fantasia gets 4 numbers. I honestly wasn't expecting more than 2 appearances.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:21pm

Honestly had no interest in this, but might have to see it. I love the poster design and whatnot, but I hate revue shows.

[April Saul]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:29pm

I'm with Steven on this one, caught it at City Center and it was just delightful! Not at all surprised by Whizzer's rave, as the earlier version got great reviews as well. I, too, will be looking for someone to compare the two, though, before I get a ticket, simply because there's so much I want to see right now. But very glad it found a home

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/18/13 at 11:29pm

Do you hate Ain't Misbehavin'? It's one of my favorite Broadway shows ever (and produced one of the best OBCRs). Sophisticated Ladies is pretty good too.

It's just as difficult to construct a good revue as a good book musical. Maybe even more so because revues seem so deceptively simply.

dshnookie- I hope you enjoy it. :)

[macnyc]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 12:36am

I loved Cotton Club Parade last year, and I'm happy to hear this incarnation is just as good! I'll try to get back and see it again. I thought the choreography was very imaginative, and the song choices excellent.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 12:39am

Oh I don't disagree, I just like getting caught up in a story and the journey and blah blah. I'm not opposed to a revue - I rather liked Sondheim on Sondheim type stuff, but I don't know. What was the design like?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 3:13am

whats this shows eligibility i.e tony's it doesn't have a book or a original score, nor are their really characters (except for the master of ceremony that Dule is playing) , so it would probably only be eligible for directing and technical categories right?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 8:19am

It will be eligible for everything except Best Score and Best Book. Revues have won Best Musical before, and actors have been nominated and won.

Karine Plantadit, who dances beautifully here, was nominated for Come Fly Away just a few years ago.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 9:06am

Whizzer-you've convinced me. Is there a rush/lotto in place yet? (Trying to figure out the least expensive way to see this.)

[Wickedmonkey332]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 9:51am

Wow Whizzer- you just might have sold me on this one! But if I had to pick two from Twelfth Night, Great Comet, Big Fish, and this: what should I see!!??

[Okiekat]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 10:20am

Dreaming, After Midnight is currently on TDF.

[followspot]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 10:22am

This was somehow a "best kept secret" last year at City Center under the title COTTON CLUB PARADE, despite it being an encore presentation from the year before. I caught it last year during its one-week run and was so blown away by the non-stop, wall-to-wall, jaw-dropping talent and sheer ENTERTAINMENT that I went home and bought a ticket to see it again the following (final) night. Adriane Lenox prowled the stage and brought down the house in each of her numbers, but for me the evening's biggest fireworks came from moments of pure DANCE and the full-blast Lincoln Center Jazz All-Stars. Easily the most electric 90 minutes I've seen on a New York stage in eons.

Glad to hear the good word on Fantasia in the "guest spot" — I believe k.d. lang follows in the spring. This is a show I'll be revisiting often.

Updated On: 10/19/13 at 10:22 AM

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 10:52am

Wicked Monkey-Go see Great Comet and Twelfth Night (I can say that without having seen this). Frankly I think Great Comet and Fun Home are the two best musicals I've seen at present. (But I chose from your options there.)

Okie-I'm not on TDF so I can't use that. I'm willing to do SRO if they have that.

Updated On: 10/19/13 at 10:52 AM

[Okiekat]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 11:02am

Dreaming, not sure if there's SRO yet, but I would try. Theaters often change policies during previews. The discount code: MAIL is still available, but of course that's a smaller discount ($65 for mid mezz). I saw the show both years at Encores and really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the broadway version.

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 11:18am

Thanks. I'm going to wait and see.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 12:19pm

WickedMonkey- Without knowing your likes and dislikes, I would personally see The Great Comet and After Midnight from your list. Twelfth Night is great, but I preferred After Midnight. If you are a fan of dance shows you aren't going to find anything better in the city. I do think The Great Comet is the best musical playing in New York FWIW.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 12:24pm

this looks like it could be the sleeper hit of the 2013-14 Broadway season.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 6:18pm

Comparing this to Twelfth Night seems a little bit like apples/oranges.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 6:25pm

Pleasantly surprised to hear these reviews! So this a complete revue then? No story? Sorry, I'm not as familiar with this as I should be!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 6:25pm

Pleasantly surprised to hear these reviews! So this a complete revue then? No story? Sorry, I'm not as familiar with this as I should be!

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/19/13 at 6:32pm

I was going to wait until K.D. Lang joined the show but maybe I should go now.